Unnoticed
by Summer V
Summary: Isabella Swan begins working at Golden Gate Corporations owned by Edward Cullen. Through stalkers, obsession, vanity, and pride could something happen between them? *HIATUS
1. Adjusting

I can hear the clicks of stiletto heels in every direction down the hallway. I shouldn't let these professional women with their designer clothes and impeccable hairstyles get to me. After all, Allison Jones did dress me this morning that has got to count for something… and how I love her for doing it too. It is not that I am fashionably unequipped or without taste, I simply lack that anxiety that so many women seem to have about what they wear these days. Don't get me wrong, looking presentable at work is important, but since the in-style not really being my area of expertise I called on the help my trusty best friend Alice.

She truly is brilliant. Not only the most creative florist in New York, Alice is also the greatest and most dependable friend I could ever ask for. She is even there for me when I _don't _need her. I chuckled to myself quietly, thinking about my spunky girlfriend, while a woman with red hair in a bun held up by chopsticks glared at me. I watched her walk away slightly stunned at the hostility. _Take a deep breath Bella, just breathe. _I was going to have to get used to the constant business like attitude around here.

This is certainly no time to be an immature baby; it is not like I have never worked in an office before. Although this particular _office _is not exactly like the ones in my prior experience… This happens to be GGC, Golden Gate Corporations, one of the biggest investment companies in the world. Established by the widely popular Edward Cullen. People call him personable, firm, and obviously extremely handsome. He is probably already on one of those 'richest men in the world' lists, and only twenty-six! Although he is hardly seen in public, boy do the paparazzi love to sink their teeth into him. I have read a few articles, and seen a couple interviews; I mean who doesn't want to know what their superior boss is like? Alright maybe I watched the interview just to watch him, because oh my god he is _gorgeous. _ I'm really not shallow like that though, I am honestly intrigued by him, it seems like there could be so much more beyond the surface with him. I wonder if I will ever get to meet him. Considering all I will be doing for his company is clerical work and processing contracts, just simple management between some partnering firms, I probably won't see him at all.

Finally… _my _office. Took me long enough to find it. The small reception area leading to it and five other offices was deserted and all the doors are closed. I swear I could hear a pin drop in silence like this. I wondered idly if the employees here ever spoke to each other. I cracked the door, hoping it wouldn't be white walls, a black desk, green carpet, and chairs with hideous upholstery. Flipping on the wall switch, I was pleasantly surprised at my surroundings. Slightly off beige walls, elegant mahogany furniture, a small leather couch and no green carpet! I sighed at myself, of course they would have nice offices, and I am in the NYC GGC building for god's sake. I mean the rest of the place is spectacularly designed and decorated why would my area be any different? I am watching too many late night TV shows. Alice says that is my answer to everything.

After a few hours of papers, filing and settling in, I'm finally starting to feel comfortable in my space. My computer ran smoothly and my chair is comfy. As lunch time approached I wondered where I would be going for lunch. There are no mess halls here, though you can eat in your office, they discourage bringing any food into the building at all. I settled on the subway a few blocks away, it would be a nice walk. I strolled out into the reception area and saw a pretty woman speaking into her cellphone sternly. She looked at me and smiled sweetly, snapping her phone shut.

"Isabella?" She asked politely

I furrowed my brow instantly wondering how she already knew my name.

"Yes" I replied and extended a hand towards her, returning the smile.

"Hi, I'm Chrissi Samuels. Sorry about that, that was my teenage son." She continued with a wink shaking my hand lightly, "I heard this is your first day?"

"It is. Nice to finally meet someone. The woman in the front office directed me to my office and I haven't seen a soul since." Immediately regretting lying because I had in fact seen that woman with the red hair.

"Yeah, well the people around here tend to keep themselves for the most part, and it isn't until you get to the third and fourth floors do anyone actually socialize."

"Oh, I see."

"Anyway, I'm going to subway for lunch, care to join?"

"I was actually already planning on heading there."

Chrissi was extremely nice, and I was immensely grateful to make a friend here. Over lunch we talked about trivial things, the weather, my previous employment, and her son Derik getting involved in the beginning stages of teenage drama. It was very enjoyable to talk to her, as she had a very friendly disposition that immediately put me at ease. I also noticed how pretty and seemingly worry free she was for a thirty-three year old woman. She has been divorced for six years and said she loves being single again, her marriage was apparently very stressful. Her shoulder-length chestnut colored hair that drapes down in ringlets, dark golden eyes, and a fairly light tan complexion complimented her carefree personality absolutely.

On the drive home I popped in my John Mayer cd in the player and the music totally topped off my already pleasant mood.

Upon arriving at my small apartment, I saw a small pot of flowers at my doorstep, recognizing them as gloxinia from all of Alice's flower talk over the years. Of course she would think to stop by and leave them at my door after my first day of work. I would have to thank her for that. Opening my door I nearly tripped over boxes on the way to the kitchen. I finally made my way to the sink and gave the gloxinia some water to drink, still smiling at Alice's thoughtfulness. I could count on her to call me within the next twenty minutes too. I hopped in the shower, letting the water soothe the muscles in my back. As I wrapped up in a towel I heard my phone ringing in the kitchen. _Alice_. I quickly ran to get it as the song was ending. After recalling all my events of the day, describing Chrissi in detail, repeating no three times after she asked me if I met Edward Cullen and promising to hang out with her all weekend she finally let me go to get dressed. I automatically felt like an idiot after hanging up because I forgot to thank her for the flowers. But eventually shrugging as I knew she would not care and honestly I was too exhausted to call her back.

I wondered, lying in bed, if I would ever get the chance to meet Edward Cullen. Naturally, Alice had to spark my curiosity by rambling about him on our phone call. I wondered if he would look as good in person as he did in the pictures. Finally realizing I am acting like a teenager thinking of him like this I decided to get some sleep, actually excited for work tomorrow.


	2. Minorities and Scuffs

As I settled into my comfortable leather chair, pressing the power button on my computer, I realized how much I enjoy working here. If I thought about it, I honestly have a heck of a lot to be grateful for here. I don't have any pesky coworkers, nobody is impolite (not taking into account the redhead I saw my first day), my bosses have been extremely nice and welcoming, and to top it off I have made a great friend in Chrissi. The workload is not unbearable, my surroundings certainly are beautiful, and the paycheck makes it all that much better.

I know Alice is very proud of me – and she has told me so – for acquiring a job like this, considering my previous positions and overall career past is quite sketchy. I mostly bounced around from job to job, different odds and ends, not because I was lazy or because I got fired but I simply never found somewhere that I was really happy and truly content at work. I'm hoping this will finally be the job that I will stick to. It is pleasantly looking that way so far.

Today is Friday, my last day of work before my two days off and the official end of my first week at GGC. Alice is practically giddy jumping off the walls for our weekend, I laughed to myself quietly. She really is too exuberant for her own good sometimes, part of her charm I suppose. It is true we were long overdue for some serious girl time. But right now I need to focus on work, I have a lot of paperwork to file and sift through.

I glanced at the clock, shocked at how the time has passed by; it has already been four hours. My break is in five minutes. Chrissi and I have taken to a pattern of sipping coffee and chatting during our daily thirty-minute breaks, usually while taking a walk through the beautiful park that is, very conveniently, right next to the GGC building.

I finished up a proposal and closed all of my workbooks before turning my desk lamp off and putting my computer to sleep mode. I grabbed my scarf and slipped out of my office closing the door behind me.

As I turned around from the door I collided with a very stiff body. I looked up quickly apologizing, but stopped when I saw the woman in front of me. She had to have been a good five or six inches taller than me, I'm sure her blood-red stilettos contributed to that. She was wearing a skin tight black dress, stopping mid-thigh and barely covering her chest. I didn't have time to notice the rest of her when I caught the expression on her face. It was one of extreme distaste.

"You should be sorry." She stated coldly, staring me down.

I just stared at her, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked raising a much penciled, arched eyebrow.

I took the small opportunity to quickly assess her face. Obvious unnaturally bronzed skin, bleach blonde hair piled high on her head and penetrating eyes loaded with meticulously layered dark colors of eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Her lips were so accurately lined with dark red lipstick (matching her shoes I realized); I briefly wondered how long she had to look at a mirror to get it like that.

"…No" I answered.

"I am Valerie Dydek." She replied very pointedly.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't understand why she had introduced herself in such a prestigious and significant way. Was I supposed to know her?

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Isabella Swan." I said extending my hand.

Valerie just stared at me as if I was completely incompetent. I was starting to feel very intimidated now.

"You should watch where you walk, Isabella Swan." She said in a very icy tone.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, Valerie sharply turned her head and walked out of the hallway.

Well I most certainly take back saying no one here was impolite. Valerie Dydek was practically hostile!

It felt like that whole entire encounter took an hour when in reality it was only a couple minutes. I was still mostly shocked at what had just happened. Surely she must have been having a bad day. I keenly hoped that Valerie did not work on this floor. Because that was a conversation I definitely did not want to have again.

Chrissi was probably getting her coffee and waiting for me by now. I hurriedly walked out to meet her, eager to know if she had yet to meet the offensive Valerie.

"Oh yeah, I know her. Don't be surprised if you get replays of that situation. Trust me, every day with Valerie is a bad day." Chrissi replied, after I explained in detail my introduction with 'Val', as Chrissi says she is known as.

"Has she worked here for a long time?" I asked.

"Four years, long enough to create a very dark reputation of herself."

"Well why isn't she fired by now if she is always acting like that?"

"Apparently her brother-in-law is on the executive board or something like that," Chrissi replied, rolling her eyes, "she is practically untouchable, because you can bet she will go running back to him if anyone tries to rat her out."

"Rat her out? I thought she would get fired because of her attitude?" I asked confused.

"Yeah, that's not the only thing she should get fired for. Valerie runs the entire second floor, and like they're her slaves too."

"She gets away with that!" I said incredulously.

"Like I said… her brother" Chrissi responded, waving her hand dismissively.

She looked at me for a moment before speaking again.

"Listen honey, Val is a bitch, let's make sure we have that down. Now I know you're a sweetheart but don't let her rattle you too much. I can put money on the fact that she will purposely step on your toes for a while just because you're new and she wants to make her dictating presence known, but don't let her walk all over you. She controls the second floor not the first so she can't really do much to you without good evidence anyway. And I have had my fair share of arguments with her too; boy does she hate people standing up to her arrogance." Chrissi laughed before turning serious again.

"If she ever does says something too ridiculous to you, tell me and I'll but that tramp in her place" Chrissi said winking at me.

"I appreciate that, and thanks for telling me" I said, laughing quietly.

I felt relieved knowing more about Val and that it wasn't just me that she hated. It was good to know that Chrissi had my back too. I sure wasn't looking forward to scuffles with Valerie but now that I had some more background information on her I know I won't feel so threatened. Since when had I become someone who couldn't stand up for themselves? She sure was going to give me some practice.

On the drive over to Alice's house I thought about how different work seemed now as opposed to how I was thinking about it this morning. Now I was trying to conjure clever comebacks and earlier no one working there was rude. Surprisingly I didn't feel worried about it, though. It was almost as if it would make work more exciting. Not that I need the entertainment. But I wasn't afraid of going to my job next week, and I'm happy that this isn't going to affect my career, when at one time previously it might have.

I pulled into Alice's driveway next to her baby blue corvette. I smiled at her perfectly planted rows of assorted wildflowers, lilies, and tulips that lined the walkway up to her front door. She always says you can add the most beautiful touch to any house with a few flowers.

I pulled out my keys and opened her door, calling out her name, amazed that she wasn't already pouncing on me.

"Come in! Come come come!" Alice yelled to me from across the house.

I followed the sound of her voice to find her in the green room, or space of wonder and inspiration as she likes to call it.

"Oh bell-la I have found the most wonderful new combination you are simply going to love it!" Alice squealed, writing something in a notebook with her oversized pen, before skipping over and hugging me.

"Okay Ah-lice what is it!" I said jokingly.

She ran across the room and picked up a large vase telling me to come outside with her. We walked out the back door of the green room into her atrium-like backyard. It was full of some of the most beautiful, flourishing, and exotic flowers you have ever seen, including the classics as well. Walking in there was like walking into another world. She started picking up various flowers and arranging them in the vase. I could name many of the flowers she had growing out there: Iris, lilac, tons of rose bushes, many different kinds of orchids, daffodils, violets, and gentian.

"This is my newest and most exciting combo yet!" Alice squeaked.

I started laughing at her, as she always said that about every new bouquet she called 'combo's'.

She held the vase up to my face and I inhaled the fresh scent and beautiful array.

"It is wonderful Alice," I said smiling, "is this for your spring collection?"

"Yes! I am so excited! It is the perfect addition, exactly what I was searching for!" she replied, enthusiastically.

The vase was overflowing with hydrangeas, baby's breath, and hyacinth. It was a very lovely assembly, and that is saying something, because I have seen all of Alice's most exquisite work. I know her spring collection has been very near and dear to her heart for a long time now, and I'm happy that she has found her last display for what she has been waiting so long for.

After talking about buds and blossoms for a little while longer we began talking about my job at GGC. I explained to her in full detail everything that happened to day from the encounter with Val to my talk with Chrissi and Alice listened earnestly. Then after she asked a few questions she did not hold back on giving me a very intent feedback session on everything I had told her, including feedback on things I hadn't said. I laughed and listened to her resolve on all of it before she suggested we go make some fresh apple cider.

I could never tire of spending time with Alice. She is the perfect solution to any day, whether it is a good one or a bad one. I can always count on her to concentrate on me seriously and talk to me sincerely, always adding some light humor in no matter what the topic. I truthfully couldn't think of a more fun person to be around, she always has something entertaining and exciting planned to do and you have to be smiling while with her.

As for the situation with Val, Alice decided that she does not like the woman one bit and that I should snap right back at her whenever she is rude to me. And Alice, like Chrissi, said she would mess Val up real good if she ever tried to hurt me. I laughed and told her not to make a big deal about it while she very gravely stared at me until she broke out into a huge grin.

After talking, while sipping homemade cold apple cider (one of Alice's specialties), and painting some cute little flower pots she proclaimed it was time to bake some bread for the morning. She got out the ingredients and we made banana biscuits and French brioche sprinkled with sugar and sliced almonds. It would be perfect with tea in the morning she declared playfully. Following all of that flour we cozied into the couch and watched the first two Pirates of the Caribbean while Alice gushed over Orlando Bloom.

It wasn't until about ten pm that Edward Cullen's assistant Monica called me to say that I needed to come to the 5th floor on Monday morning as soon as I arrived at work. I was confused to say the least and Alice wouldn't stop shouting that it was going to be the first famous person I'd meet, even though I didn't even know if I would be seeing him or why I was going to the 5th floor to begin with, or why Monica had called me at ten pm because that was pretty strange too. Eventually the shock wore off and I decided that going to the 5th floor was a good thing so I wouldn't worry myself.

It was a cheerful evening, I loved being in a house without boxes everywhere, and I loved spending time with my best friend even more. I was looking forward to spending my Sunday with Alice and very interested to see what was going to happen on Monday.


End file.
